You’ve been bitten by the new car bug. Or perhaps you’re just so tired of your current car; you can hardly stand to drive it anymore.

You’re about to embark on the research phase of the car buying experience (which is the right course of action). But, before you even begin pointing, clicking, and eyeballing these shiny new toys; take a step back and determine just how much car you can afford to own and operate.

The conventional wisdom is not more than 20% of your monthly income… your net (take home) pay… not your gross pay. And by the way, while you’re doing your figuring on this 20% monthly cash outlay; make sure you include all the cars you own.

Regardless of whether you don’t even pay rent or own your home outright, stand firm on the 20% rule.

On your way to calculating your 20% budget, in addition to the purchase price, be sure to factor in any down payment and/or your trade-in value. The bottom line you’ll finance is the bottom line.

Of course, the more money you put down the more car you can buy and still be under the 20% rule. Keep in mind, the more money you put down doesn’t affect how much you actually pay and cars are severely depreciating assets… not investments.

Once you get close to determining your 20% number, you’ll need to know the going interest rates you’ll be paying on your borrowed money. And since we’ve now broached borrowing money and interest rates… you should also plan on getting a copy of your credit report while you’re at it.

Another important aspect to consider is the costs of ownership involved with the car. Things such as fuel, maintenance, and insurance premiums can run up some hefty numbers on you in addition to your monthly payment.

Maintenance and insurance costs are somewhat related, because insurance companies take into account the cost to repair a vehicle as part of their premium calculation. So, if you are looking at a car that is expensive or difficult to repair, you’re probably also looking at higher insurance premiums as well.

So, even though you should keep the 20% rule firmly in mind as your are crunching your numbers, don’t overlook all the other monthly expenses associated with the car you are considering.

Taking the time to get all of your financial and budget numbers in place before you seriously begin looking at your intended makes and models will serve as a good financial rudder for you during the car buying process and make for much wiser purchase.

If you need some organizational help, here are some tips on how to organize your garage so you can get your car back where it belongs, instead of those boxes and stuff you used 10 years before:

1)Make a specific space for every category. For example, make a special space for lawn tools, Christmas decorations, etc. If necessary, make yourself a sign or note to place in the area. This will prevent other items from being placed in that particular area, and you will know exactly where to go to get what you need.

2)Since garages usually have ceilings, place shelving all along the perimeter of the garage as space allows. Use every inch of shelf space available. Avoid leaving stuff on the floor. You can place note cards or signs on the shelving as well. Shelving is a great way to categorize.

3)Be sure that items you use regularly are in a safe place and easily accessible. For example, make sure young children can easily get their bikes or other toys from the garage without assistance. This will ensure their safety as well as help with independence. (Note: Make sure that small children can reach their toys without having to climb on anything.)

4)“Hazard High”. Make sure all hazardous material is kept well out of the reach of children and animals. The smallest amount of paint thinner or gasoline can be lethal.

5)Move it out. If it can go out, put it out. That extra space under your porch or deck is the perfect spot to hide ladders or lawn mowers. If you prefer, put up some lattice with a hinge on one side to prevent anyone from seeing the items.

6)Hang over. Bins are now available that you can hang from the ceiling! These would be perfect for those once-a-year items like Christmas or Halloween decorations.

7)Buy bins. Sporting equipment always comes with lots of extras. Extra balls. Extra bats. Extra putters. Extra gloves. Make sure to keep everything labeled and separated. (Otherwise, you will defeat the purpose). Organizers are specially made now for certain sports – baseball, golf, etc. for all of the equipment. If space allows, use some of these if necessary.

8)If you find some old cabinets in a yard sale or know someone that is remodeling their kitchen, old cabinets look great in a garage. They are great for storage and allow for a work area.

For smaller items, here are some other helpful hints:

• For really small items that get lost easily, glue any type of glass jar with a screw-on lid to a piece of plywood or shelving unit. Then hang the plywood or shelving, with the lids facing down, from a cabinet or shelf. You could also glue the lids directly to the bottoms of the cabinets or shelving already available. By using clear glass jars, you can easily see what’s in them, and simply unscrew the jar when you need a particular item. You can take a single item or take the whole jar. When you’re finished, simply screw the jar back onto the lid.

• Small plastic bins labeled and placed on shelves makes locating screwdrivers and wrenches a breeze.

• Pegboard placed vertically on the wall will allow you to hang any of your tools in an easily identifiable place. By outlining each item, you will be able to tell at first glance if an item is missing.

It is very important that you remember to reorganize every so often. Items tend to get misplaced relatively easily.

Although 4 wheeler atvs are some of the most dangerous vehicles known to man, people are more than ever buying 4 wheelers for kids. Not only do these four wheelers tear up the natural habitat, but they make tremendous noise, disturbing the native wildlife while causing their terrible erosion. Back in the days, young people eroded the soil and basically wrecked things for everyone else trying to enjoy the wilderness. But worst of all, is the danger of the 4 wheelers.

Going four-wheeling in one of those big trucks is a lot safer and it’s both fun and popular to do. Nevertheless, whenever you take something off road and go through the brush and the hills, you’re going to end up with someone getting hurt. Many people go four-wheeling during or after a drinking binge. That means there are a lot of people out there, too drunk to drive, tearing down back roads at breakneck speed. A safer way to go 4 wheeling is using 4×4 trucks, and this is also popular. Still, anything that involves driving trucks around off road for recreation, people will find a way to make dangerous, especially if they are young and stupid. Instead of having to worry about their 4 wheelers rolling over on them, we now have the problem of drunken drivers going in their older brother’s, or father’s pickup trucks at high speeds on the back roads. And more than once, this has had tragic results.

No matter how much fun they seem, people who are aware of how dangerous four-wheel ATVs are still buying them for their children. It seems like they are just asking for trouble by doing that. There are things like movie theaters and great movies to watch, soda shops for a nice afternoon treat, and even music venues that people of all ages can go to. How about enjoying nature by taking a great hike in the woods? There are acres and acres of beautiful wilderness to explore that don’t need to be spoiled by the grumbling whine of an ATV. On an ATV, the nature flashes by so fast you can’t see anything, you can’t hear any birds singing, and you’ve practically scared away all of the fantastic wildlife out there. There need to be some laws protecting kids and the environment from the dangers of ATVs. While they may be of use to someone out there, they aren’t toys and they’re definitely not for kids.

Why, with all of this tragedy, parents would even think of buying their kids 4 wheelers? It just does not make any sense. It is not like there is absolutely nothing to do in town. There are movie theaters, coffee shops, the soda shop, the main drag. There is even an all ages venue that provides rock music for the kids. And that does not even touch on all of the beautiful wilderness that surrounds us. But instead of enjoying that wilderness for its quiet and mystery, the kids just use it to drive their 4 wheelers, making enough noise to wake the devil himself and completely trampling on nature. That is a shame when you realize how much they miss out on hearing over the rumble of their 250cc 4 wheelers engines. There is a whole world passing them by. Parents should save their money and buy their children something safer — like a bicycle or scooter.